Report Read at Board Meeting 

Regarding Board Member Ortiz

By: Katherine Massopust

PERTH AMBOY – During the public portion of the 9/23/14 Board of Ed. Meeting Resident Stanley Sierakowski read from a report prepared by Vice-Principal of PAHS Edwin Nieves. The report referred to the behavior of a Substitute Teacher (now BOE Member) William Ortiz of an incident that occurred on 3/15/12.

According to the report: Nieves stated that a student was brought into his office by two individuals who stated that the student told him he was in a verbal altercation with a substitute. These individuals who came in with the student expressed the following: “It was their general sentiment that the substitute teacher had antagonized the student or at least would not disengage from the altercation even after they removed the student from the situation.” One of the persons who brought the student into Mr. Nieves’ office heard a statement by Mr. Oritz saying, “I am a U.S. Marine. I can defend myself. It’s in the Constitution!”

Report con’t.: The student told Nieves that this substitute threatened to stab him in the eye with a pen and spouted obscenities at him. Shortly thereafter two additional students reported their version of the event. These accounts were consistent with the student’s statements.

Report created by Edwin Nieves, vice principal of Perth Amboy High School. Click on picture to read.

Report con’t.: That substitute was later identified as William Ortiz by the office. It was lunch period and security could not find Ortiz in the building. Security was informed not to let him back in the building.  Personnel in charge were notified. Dr. Caffrey (the Superintendent at the time) instructed Nieves to escort Ortiz off the premises and Ortiz was to be suspended pending an investigation. Ortiz was escorted out of the building. DYFS and the student’s mother were notified.

After the Meeting, Board Member Ortiz made a statement to the Amboy Guardian: “If they found that kid to be credible, I wouldn’t have my sub license or be allowed to serve on the Board.”

Response from Ortiz

Submitted by William Ortiz

PERTH AMBOY – I am writing this editorial to address a few issues that came up at the September 24 board meeting. Mr. Stanley decided that he wanted to make allegations about myself. Allegations that I threatened to kill shoot stab and everything else under the sun a troubled 17-year-old student I was the substitute for in at Perth Amboy High School in 2012. Allegations that were not established by facts. Anyone can allege anything. Until its proven by a preponderance of evidence they will remain allegations. I on the other hand like to deal in facts and reality, these allegations were investigated by DYFUS and where established to be not credible. How can you as the reader be sure of that?  It’s very simple, if they had been found credible I would have been arrested, I would not be able to serve on the board of education and I would also not be able to possess a substitute license, which I still do.  I would not even be able to coach my kids football team.

Those are the facts I normally would not respond baseless allegations but in Perth Amboy allegations and rumor have a way of becoming truth when repeated

The reality is these allegations were made to deflect attention from a bigger issue. That issue, letters that were written on behalf of a sex offender to the Judge by two of our principals. These letters were written on school letterhead and were written with the purpose of obtaining a lighter sentence for a teacher who was having a sexual relationship of over a year with one of our students, and they worked, the judge said.

“I’ve considered almost 20 letters that I’ve received,” Toto said. “I am going to sentence you to three years, a flat sentence, which means you become eligible for parole in about nine months.”

The facts in this case are not in dispute. NBC news one of the most respected news agencies in the country did the story because it was a story, they fact checked everything. It’s a fact that Middlesex County prosecutor Andrew Carey emailed Dr. Rodriguez saying these letters from our principals were “disturbing”. It’s a fact that the letters were in the possession of the courts. Last time I checked the courts were not hiring child sex offenders. It’s a fact that Mr. Morales’ mother  when questioned stated that the letters were meant for judge on sentencing.

But the Perth Amboy Board of Education released a statement that is not based in reality and repeated the fallacy the superintendent has maintained, that while the letter Ms. Dowd wrote showed bad judgment the one written by Ms. Leone was a job reference letter written before Mr. Morales was charged. Where is their proof to corroborate that statement? They have not produced one shred of evidence to make that case. Is the public supposed to just take their word for it?

Their inaction on this is stunning and shows how tone deaf they are.  They said Ms. Dowd showed “bad judgment” that’s the understatement of the year. This was malfeasance of the highest order. This goes beyond bad judgment into the spectrum of reckless betrayal, and educational malpractice. How dare they attempt to minimize what this is? This is a case where principals took the side of the criminal that perpetrated a felony and carried on a sexual relationship for over a year with one of our girls. Our first responsibility as a school district is the safety of the kids. By continuing to employ people that would defend the teacher rather than stand up for our kids sends a dangerous message. How can we ever trust those administrators again? What if the next time they cover it up because “that’s my friend, I can’t turn my friend in”.  What message does that send to the next perpetrator and believe me there are more out there even as we speak. It says to them I can have my way with these girls or boys and the Perth Amboy Public Schools principals, the superintendent, and board, members have got my back.  If I get caught they’ll even write letters to get me a light sentence. It sends the message that when it comes to the safety and well being of the students as opposed to the staff we will protect our own and to hell with kids.

The bottom line is they, cannot defend the indefensible, so they have to try and stick to their story even in the face of overwhelming facts and hard evidence.  NBC news has their reputation to uphold so they can’t lie, the documents which are on my Facebook page don’t lie, the prosecutor has no reason to lie, Mr. Morales’ mother had no reason to lie.  Does the Perth Amboy Board of Education board members, Superintendent or Sylvia Leone have a reason to lie? I think we all know the answer to that question.

But if you needed one more piece of evidence I’ll leave you with this statement made to me in an email by the board attorney in reference to this matter.

“Dr. Rodriguez explained that when she found out that the vice principals had written letters on Perth Amboy Public Schools school letterhead, she met with each of them. Both administrators were admonished for their use of district letterhead in support of an employee who was charged with criminality”

Why would the superintendent admonish Leone if her letter was for a job reference? After all according to Dr. Rodriguez she did nothing wrong? What does an admonishment even mean in this context? A slap on the wrist?  You can’t have it both ways.

I will provide a copy of the email to The Amboy Guardian to verify that statement and it will be available online the day this is published.

William Ortiz, Perth Amboy

Board of Education Member